Troy Falls in Midweek Clash With FGCU

Wednesday, March 8

Troy, Ala.

6 p.m.

Troy University

11-2

Florida Gulf Coast

12-2

FGCU

Troy

3/8/2023 10:10:00 PM | Baseball

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – The bats of FGCU proved to be too much the second straight night as the Eagles beat the Trojans 13-5 Wednesday night from Riddle-Pace Field and claimed both midweek games.

Coming in as the No. 24 ranked team in the county, the Eagle's offense had 17 hits which are the most the Trojan staff has given up this year. Catcher Alejandro Rodriguez went 4-5 with three RBIs, while Joe Kinker finished with five runs, batted in on three hits, and scored four runs.

Offensively the Trojans were led by second baseman Ethan Kavanagh who finished the night 3-4 with two doubles and three RBIs. Caleb Bartolero ended up going 2-5 also with an RBI double. Troy went on to leave eight runners on base with nine strikeouts.

Zak Szabo allowed four runs on four hits in his first collegiate start and couldn't get out of the first inning. Logan Ross came out of the bullpen to settle things down, going three scoreless innings allowing two hits, and striking out seven. Ross's seven strikeouts were one away from matching his career high.

In his second appearance of the year, Mason Kenney (0-1) picks up the loss by giving up four runs on four hits in the fourth.

Starting pitcher Tyler Tipton (1-0) picks up the win for the Eagles, going three innings and finishing the night and giving up four runs on five hits, four walks, and one strikeout.

FGCU struck first with four runs in the first as Joe Kinker hit his third home run against the Trojans with a grand slam to get out to the early lead.

The Trojans got one back in the bottom half of the first as Kavanagh struck the top of the right field wall for a double, scoring Kole Myers.

It was Kavanagh swinging the hot bat in the second as he picked up his second and third RBI of the game with a single that tied the ball game at four.

Another four-run inning in the top of the fourth for the Eagles was the difference as they once again used the long ball to their advantage, and the game was never tied again.

A Bartolero double in the bottom of the seventh plated the Trojans' fifth run, but nothing more came as the visitors added two more in the ninth to put the game well out of reach.

The Trojans will hit the road for the first time this season as they head down to Orlando to take on UCF for a three-game series with the Knights. The series is set to begin on Friday, March 10^th, at 5 p.m.